Shipping container



Sept. 2 1943- c. I. ELLIOTT 2,330,347

SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed April 56,.4942 2 Shgts-$heet 1 chWL'PE Ell/off:

ATTORNEY Sept. 28, 1943. c.' I. ELLIOTT 2,330,347

' SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed April 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Charles 1. Elliott.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1.943

Charles I. Elliott, Sea Girt, N. J., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation oi Delaware Application A use, .1942, Serial No. 441,069

. v 4. Claims.

My invention relates to containers or cartons for packing and protecting fragile articles, such as radio tubes and thelike. 1

One common means of protecting fragile articles during shipment is a box withinside platforms to support the article, the edges of the platform being fastened solidly to the articles and to the inner walls of the box. Usually the platform supports, to be sufficiently rigid to carry the artlcle, are so stiff as to transmit damaging shocks to the article. Further, such containers areusually fabricated of wood or heavy paper-board paneling with nails and staples, and are expensive as to material and labor.

An object of my invention is a carton for fragile articles that will firmly but yieldingly secure the articles in the cartons so that damaging shocks cannot be transmitted to the article.

A further object of my invention is a carton that is easy to assemble, pack and seal, and that is mechanically strong and inexpensive to manufacture.

The characteristic features of my invention are I defined in theappended claims and one embodiment thereof is described in the following specification and shown in the accompanyin drawv ings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of one of my improved cartons, the flaps of the carton being in open or loading position; 1

Figure 2 and Figure 3 are top and side views, respectively, of the closed container of Fi ure 1; Figure 4. is a longitudinal sectional view along linec-torrigurez; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional viewelong I line 5-5 ofFlgure 2.

The container of my'invention, shown partly assembled in Figure l and in sectionsin the remaining figures, comprises a-. rectangular outer container i having the usual four panels 2 and end flaps 3, and a rectangular inner container 4 single piece of paperboard and the middle section of the piece looked under the end flap 6 of the inner container. Each strap is divided by scores. into three end-to-end panels, comprisin a stay flap I, locking flap 8 and handle flap 9. Each stay flap extends along the end edge of themher container and outwardly at an angle to the corresponding end edge of the outer container.

For best results the angle of thestay flaps to the I side panels is between 80 and 60 degrees. The lockingand handle flaps are 'assed through long narrow slots ID. in the end ed es of the outer container panels, the slots being of suiiicient width andlength to pass the flaps. The stap flaps, preferably, are wider-or are stepped to overlay the ends of the slots so that the relatively stiff stay flaps may accurately locate the inner container in its lengthwise position in the outer container. The inner container; is loaded with the article to be packed, with-wedding if desired, and the end flaps of the inner cfarton folded in and closed with adhesive tape. If the end straps 5 are not formed integrally with the side panels of the inner container, they are conveniently locked between the end fiaps 6 before the flaps are taped down. Each of the end straps 5 is then passed through its slot H1 in the outer container where- .upon each strap with the adjacent outer container protruding handle flaps are scored along the line inside and spaced from the sides and ends from the outer container. The inner container is I yieldingly supported within the outer container by apair of straps 5 at each end of the inner container, the straps extending from opposite end edges of the inner container to correspondingend edges of the outer container. The inner container is four-sided and preferably is proportioned to have the relative len h, width and depth of Each of the two pairs of supportingastraps may be formed integral with 'theside-panelsofthe inner container or, if dethe outer container.

sired and as shown in Figures 4 and 5, each pair of straps may be formed as one piece from a where they emerge from the slots I I so that they may be laid over on the end of the container, and hence facilitate the stacking of the containers.

It is preferred that the supporting straps for the inner container be passed through slots ill at one end of one pair of opposed panels of the outer container, while the straps at the other end are passed through slots Hlat the end of the other ,pair of outer container panels. This displacement -of the two pairs of straps effectively limits the amount of swing of the inner container without rigidly anchoring the inner container and hence insures a firm yet yielding support for the fragile article, without danger of damageby contact with the outer container The inner containers and straps are preferably made of commercial solid paperboard about .08

inch thick and the outer containers are preferably made of 200 pound test eight flute corrugated paperboard for supporting and handling light and medium weight transmitter tubes.

My improved cartonfor fragile articles will firmly yet yieldingly secure the articles in the cartons so that shocks cannot be transmitted to the article, is easy to assembly, pack and seal and is mechanically strong and inexpensive to manufacture. V

Iclaim:

1. A container of paperboard for packing fragile articles Acomprising a rectangular outer container, said outer container having four side panels, and flaps at the ends of the panels for closing the ends of the outer container, and a rectangular inner container inside and spaced on all sides and ends from the outer container, sole means for supporting the two co ntziiners in spaced relation comprising a pair of fiat, relatively stiff, straps at each end of the inner container extending directly from opposite end edges of the inner containerto the corresponding end edges of the outer container.

7 2. A container for yieldingly supporting fragile articles comprising a rectangular outer the inner container to the corresponding end edges of the outer container, and two stay straps at the opposite end of the inner container extending from the endedges of the two remaining panels of the innerrcontainer to the corresponding end edges of the outer container.

3. A container of box material for yieldingly supporting fragile articles comprlslng a rectangular outer container having four side panels, and flaps hinged at the ends of the panels for closing the ends of the outer container, opposed end edges of the outer container panels having slots in the hinged junction and a rectangular inner container inside and spaced from the sides and ends of the outer container, means for yieldingly supporting the two containers in spaced relation comprising a strap extending from each of two opposed end edges of the inner container to and through said slots, the portions of the strap extending through said slots being folded in and between the outer container and flaps.

4. A container for yieldingly supporting fragile articles comprising a' rectangular outer container having four panels and four end flaps at each end of the outer container, each pair of opposed panels being slotted at their flap junctions and a rectangular inner container inside and spaced from the walls of the outer container, means for supporting the two containers in spaced relation comprising a" strap extending from each of the end edges of two opposed panels of the inner container to the corresponding end edges of the-outer container, and two straps at the opposite end of the inner container extending from the end edges of thii two remaining panels oiE the inner container 0 the corresponding end edges of the outer container, said straps passing through slots in the hinged junction of the outer container panels and flaps and hence inward across the end of the outer container between the outer container end flaps, the outer end flaps of the outercontainer having slots and the ends of said straps-passing CHARLES I. ELLIOT I. 

